- Comp-neuro - lists.cnsorg.org

Postdoc and PhD positions on cortical dynamics underlying vocal production in freely moving mammals (Univ Grenoble, France)
by Blaise Yvert Nov. 19, 2019

Nov. 19, 2019

Dear Colleagues, I would be very grateful if you could forward this announcement for a postdoc and a PhD positions currently available in my group at the University of Grenoble (France) to study the cortical dynamics of vocal production in freely moving mammals. More information is available at the following links: https://sites.google.com/view/blaise-yvert/available-positions/postdoc-cort… https://sites.google.com/view/blaise-yvert/available-positions/phd-cortical… Thank you very much Kind regards, Blaise. -- Blaise Yvert, PhD. Inserm Research Director Team Neurotechnology and Network Dynamics BrainTech Laboratory U1205 Inserm and Univ Grenoble Alpes UFR Chimie Biologie Bâtiment Biologie B 3e étage 2280 rue de la piscine 38400 Saint Martin d'Hères France Tel (admin). +33 4 56 52 03 73 Tel (direct). +33 4 56 52 03 74 Tel (lab). +33 4 56 52 03 81 Tel (mobile). +33 6 32 88 75 90 https://sites.google.com/view/blaise-yvert/accueil http://www.braincom-project.eu/

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Postdoc position on speech BCI (Univ Grenoble, France)
by Blaise Yvert Nov. 19, 2019

Nov. 19, 2019

Dear Colleagues, I would be very grateful if you could forward this announcement for a postdoc position currently available in my group at the University of Grenoble (France) on the development of a speech BCI (ECoG and Intracortical). More information is available at the following link: https://sites.google.com/view/blaise-yvert/available-positions/postdoc-deco… Thank you very much Kind regards, Blaise. -- Blaise Yvert, PhD. Inserm Research Director Team Neurotechnology and Network Dynamics BrainTech Laboratory U1205 Inserm and Univ Grenoble Alpes UFR Chimie Biologie Bâtiment Biologie B 3e étage 2280 rue de la piscine 38400 Saint Martin d'Hères France Tel (admin). +33 4 56 52 03 73 Tel (direct). +33 4 56 52 03 74 Tel (lab). +33 4 56 52 03 81 Tel (mobile). +33 6 32 88 75 90 https://sites.google.com/view/blaise-yvert/accueil http://www.braincom-project.eu/

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Modellers Workshop for the Brain Dynamics Toolbox, Final Call.
by Stewart Heitmann Nov. 18, 2019

Nov. 18, 2019

Modeller’s Workshop for the Brain Dynamics Toolbox Online Course Nov 1-22, 2019 Final Announcement. Enrolments close Friday. The Brain Dynamics Toolbox is an open toolbox for simulating dynamical systems in neuroscience. The Modeller’s Workshop is an on-line course is for those who wish to use the toolbox to build their own dynamical models. Participants learn the art of programming differential equations in Matlab and how to use the toolbox to solve those equations interactively. Topics include programming Ordinary Differential Equations, Partial Differential Equations, Delay Differential Equations, Stochastic Differential Equations, Auxiliary Plot Functions and command-line tools. Example code is provided in all cases. Course Website https://bdtoolbox.org/p/modellers-workshop/ Important Dates Enrolments open Friday 1st Nov, 2019. Enrolments close Friday 22nd Nov, 2019. This course will not be offered again until March 2020. ______________________________________________________________________ The Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute's Email is scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System.

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Postdoctoral Position in Systems/Computational Neuroscience, Drexel University
by Liang,Hualou Nov. 17, 2019

Nov. 17, 2019

A postdoctoral fellowship is available to conduct research with Drs. Hualou Liang and Vikas Bhandawat at Drexel University. The position is for a computational neuroscientist. Experience/Interest in performing experiments is a plus but not essential. The research project is aimed at understanding neural control of movement – how descending neurons and thoracic (equivalent to spinal cord) motor circuits, and sensory feedback control the coordination of a fly’s leg and coordination between legs. Because each leg has many degrees of freedom, and there are 6 legs, the movement space is large. We will employ concepts from dynamical systems, statistical methods as well as machine learning/deep learning to discover latent structure from high-dimensional data, to extract movement states, and to understand how these states are regulated by interactions between behavioral demands (carried by descending inputs), current body configuration (computed by thoracic circuits based on past limb positions), and on-going sensory feedback (through proprioceptors and load feedback). The successful candidate will have received a Ph.D. in a relevant discipline with substantial experience in Computational Neuroscience. The position will be largely computational, but there is an opportunity to perform a wide variety of experiments, including, in vivo whole-cell patch clamp, in vivo functional imaging, tethered/free behavioral assays in the Bhandawat lab. The Liang Lab works on problems at the intersection of machine learning and neuroscience, with particular interest in using the tools of artificial intelligence to study brain function and other complex processes. The major thrust of the lab is computational. Our current research uses data science to advance a broad range of topics that include understanding brain function, discovering causal structure from observations, and using deep learning and natural language processing to ease the burden of generic drug review. For current projects, please visit https://liang-lab.org/research/. The Bhandawat lab studies how animal behavior emerges from the complex interaction amongst the animal's nervous systems, their muscle-body dynamics, and their environment. We use fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) as our model organism because they perform many complex behaviors with a relatively simple brain, and because of the many genetic tools that are available in the flies. We employ a multi-pronged approach which includes in vivo whole-cell patch clamp recordings, imaging, and quantitative measurement of behavior, biomechanics and computation. For more information on research conducted in the Bhandawat lab, please check our website at http://biomed.drexel.edu/labs/bhandawat/ To be considered for this position please send a CV and a letter describing research interest to Hualou Liang (hualou.liang(a)drexel.edu) and Vikas Bhandawat (vikas.bhandawat(a)drexel.edu) Start date: Immediately Funding mechanism: funded by a NIH grant. Hualou Liang, PhD Professor School of Biomedical Engineering Drexel University 3141 Chestnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19104 Tel: (215) 571-3706 Fax: (215) 895-4983 hualou.liang(a)drexel.edu<mailto:hualou.liang@drexel.edu> https://liang-lab.org/ Mailing address: Monell Building 3508 Market Street Suite 100 Philadelphia, PA 19104

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postdoc opportunity at NIMH (machine learning approaches in anxiety and depression)
by Francisco Pereira Nov. 17, 2019

Nov. 17, 2019

Dear list, We have a postdoc opportunity in the Section on Development and Affective Neuroscience at NIMH, working with Daniel Pine, David Jangraw, and the NIMH Machine Learning Team. Please see below for full details. Francisco Pereira ## Who we are: Drs. Daniel Pine (https://www.nimh.nih.gov/research/research-conducted-at-nimh/research-areas…) and David Jangraw (https://davidjangraw.wordpress.com) are seeking applicants for a Post-Doctoral Fellowship position that would develop new machine learning-based approaches for the diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses. Our aims are to better understand the causes and mechanisms of certain psychiatric disorders, improve their definition and classification, and ensure the best treatment can be offered to psychiatric patients. We do this by identifying neuroscience-based phenotypes that map onto clinical phenotypes, and which can be targeted with novel treatments. The position is co-advised by the NIMH Machine Learning Team (https://cmn.nimh.nih.gov/mlt) led by Dr. Francisco Pereira, whose mission is to solve the scientific problems of NIMH researchers by developing new machine learning methods, or developing new analysis approaches relying on existing methods. ## What you will do: One line of research will focus on refining and testing latent constructs derived from multiple brain imaging and behavioral markers of inhibitory control. Inhibitory control deficits are common to many psychiatric disorders, and if the latent construct shows good reliability, it may serve as a target for novel treatments. Another line of research will hinge on extracting characteristics of psychotherapy session data, such as therapist speech and facial expressions, that can predict patient clinical outcomes. While the work will concentrate on anxiety and mood disorders in young people, the approaches will be applicable to any mental disorder. The fellow will work with multi-modal imaging datasets that include MRI (functional, structural), EEG, MEG, and associated behavioral and clinical data, all of which may be used as input to machine learning methods. Data sets are already available, and the fellow will devote most of their time to analyzing these data or developing new methods. The fellow will also have access to excellent computational resources within NIH (e.g., top-100 supercomputer with hundreds of thousands of CPUs and hundreds of GPUs). ## Who you are: Candidates with a strong computational background (e.g., PhD in Engineering, Physics, Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Computational Neuroscience, and related areas) who are interested in brain development and psychopathology are particularly encouraged to apply. Requirements for this position include: - Programming experience in data-intensive computation tasks, in Python (preferably) or in R/Matlab - Practical machine learning experience (e.g., training of classification/regression models, statistical testing of results, interpretation and visualization of models), especially using open source machine learning platforms such as scikit-learn - Excellent interpersonal and written (English) communication skills Experience in psychiatry or knowledge of software for processing neuroimaging data are not required. However, the candidate will be expected to learn some of these topics as part of their role in our research group. ## How to apply: The successful candidate will work jointly with Drs. Daniel Pine, David Jangraw, and Francisco Pereira. Please write to them (pined(a)mail.nih.gov, david.jangraw(a)nih.gov, francisco.pereira(a)nih.gov) with your CV, using the email as the cover letter. Other enquiries are also very welcome. The National Institutes of Health is an equal opportunity employer.

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PhD grant on spiking networks at Barcelona
by Xavier Otazu Nov. 16, 2019

Nov. 16, 2019

The Neurocomputation and Biological Vision Team (NeuroBiT) (http://www.cvc.uab.es/neurobit) offer a PhD scholarship to work in a highly multidisciplinary project which includes computational modelling of primary visual cortex and psychophysical experimentation of colour perception and its relationship to visual migraines. The Research will take place at the Computer Vision Centre (http://www.cvc.uab.es) of the Univ. Autònoma de Barcelona, which is consistently ranked among the top Spanish Universities (https://www.uab.cat/web/about-the-uab/the-uab/the-uab-in-the-rankings-13456…) The centre is located in a campus outside the vibrant city of Barcelona and has a strong tradition of multidisciplinary research in computational colour vision with their own psychophysical laboratory, living labs facilities and several computer clusters. The candidate will be part of the NeuroComputation and Biological Vision Team (NeuroBiT), a recently-formed multidisciplinary research group which combines perceptual and computational approaches with visual neuroscience. We offer regular meetings with other PhD students, international contacts and the possibility of internship/cooperation with other experimental/theoretical labs. The successful candidate is likely to obtain several high-impact publications. The PhD student research topic will be the development of recurrent multilayer spiking networks to reproduce the biological architecture of the primary visual cortex and several of its physiological properties, aiming at reproducing the results of psychophysical studies in colour perception and clinical studies on migraines. The duration of the position is 3 years (36 months). We expect the position to start before July 1st 2020 (i.e. eventual visa issues should be solved beforehand!). The total annual stipend of the grant is around 15.000 euros gross, which include the cost of registration fees for the official doctorate program. Conditions: The candidate must -hold a European Higher Education Area (EHEA) qualification of at least 300 ECTS credits or a university-awarded Master degree or equivalent in the natural sciences/engineering at the time of signing the contract. - have experience in programming with Python and/or Matlab (C, C++, Unix environment and computer cluster experience are also valued) - have knowledge of / interest in the human visual system, visual perception and statistics - proficiency in English and (desired in) Spanish or Catalan - have excellent skills in analytical thinking, perceptiveness, commitment, self-organization, teamwork, and communication. Any previous experience in the subject of computational modelling will also be a bonus. How to apply: Please send your CV and a short statement (500 words) connecting your previous work with the topics of this grant to xotazu(a)cvc.uab.es and a copy of the official academic transcript (including GPA) before november 25th. We encourage candidates with strong skills in programming who are interested to work in a highly multidisciplinary project and environment (computer science, neuroscience, psychophysics), to apply. Candidates should have a degree in a related subject (Neuroscience, Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, Biology, etc.). Xavier Otazu Senior Researcher at Computer Vision Center Professor at Computer Science Department, Univ Autonoma de Barcelona

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PhD Position in Psychology at Ghent University
by Clay Holroyd Nov. 16, 2019

Nov. 16, 2019

PhD Position in Psychology at Ghent University The Learning and Cognitive Control Lab is recruiting a highly motivated PhD student for a 4-year position at the Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University (Belgium). The position is funded by a European Research Council Advanced Grant, “Cracking the Anterior Cingulate Cortex Code: Toward a Unified Theory of ACC Function” ( https://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/216511/factsheet/en ). Our department provides a vibrant and collaborative research environment that include several groups investigating the cognitive neuroscience of cognitive control and decision making. The available facilities include a research-dedicated 3T Siemens Magnetom Trio MRI scanner, EEG, TMS, eye-tracking, and an MR-compatible EEG system. Our seminar programs enable staff and students to engage with leading researchers from across the world. The successful candidate will conduct functional magnetic resonance imaging experiments following a model-based cognitive neuroscience approach (for an example of our approach, see doi 10.1073/pnas.1803650115 ). There are also opportunities in the department to conduct EEG, pupillometry and TMS experiments. Candidates are expected to have a Master’s degree in psychology, cognitive neuroscience, or a closely related discipline at the time of the starting date. Candidates with prior fMRI training as well as good programming skills (Python, Matlab) would be excellent for this position. The position can start any time between February 1st 2020 and July 1st 2020. The call closes on January 5th 2020. Interested candidates should email their CV, a statement of research interests, and have three letters of reference forwarded to Clay Holroyd at clay.holroyd(a)ugent.be. Inquiries may be directed to him at this email address.

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MindCORE at the University of Pennsylvania: Postdoctoral Fellowship Opening - Jan 3 deadline
by Calvert, Heather J Nov. 14, 2019

Nov. 14, 2019

MindCORE Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at Penn MindCORE, an interdisciplinary effort to understand human intelligence and behavior at the University of Pennsylvania, seeks to recruit outstanding postdoctoral researchers for our MindCORE Fellowship. Designed for individuals who have recently obtained a PhD degree in psychology, linguistics, neuroscience, philosophy or other cognitive science discipline, the MindCORE Fellowship is a springboard for young researchers as they establish their own research program. The fellowship covers salary and a modest research budget. The most exciting applications often come from candidates who are interested in working collaboratively with multiple faculty members. Applications for 2020 are due January 3rd: https://mindcore.sas.upenn.edu/post-doctoral-research-fellowship/ Heather J. Calvert (she / her) Executive Director, MindCORE Penn's hub for the integrative study of the mind. 112 Leidy Labs, 3740 Hamilton Walk, University of Pennsylvania 215-573-1111 ~ hcalvert(a)sas.upenn.edu https://web.sas.upenn.edu/mindcore/ Follow MindCORE on Twitter & Facebook @PennMindCORE

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Call for papers for Vision Research special issue on "Calibrating the visual system"
by Ruben Coen-Cagli Nov. 14, 2019

Nov. 14, 2019

**Apologies for cross-posting ** Calibrating the visual system Vision Research seeks contributions for a special issue entitled ‘Calibrating the visual system’. Visual systems evolved according to consistent characteristics of the environment and task demands of the species, but also to be malleable in order to adapt to specific perturbations in the stimulus and the observer. The special issue aims to integrate work on the calibration of visual processes in relation to the stable properties of natural scenes or to variations in the sensory stimulus or the individual’s sensory apparatus, in different visual domains and over different time scales. Of particular interest are processes of short, medium and long-term adaptation, and processes to maintain perceptual constancy, as well as processes that occur during visual development. We are also seeking papers concerned with the benefits, costs, and limitations of these adaptations for optimal encoding of visual information, and for learning and representing relevant stimuli in the environment. We are seeking both original research articles and reviews on this subject, covering diverse methods including psychophysics, physiology, neuroimaging, and computational modelling Guest Editors: Jenny Bosten, University of Sussex Ruben Coen Cagli, Albert Einstein College of Medicine Anna Franklin, University of Sussex Samuel Solomon, UCL Michael Webster, University of Nevada, Reno Submission Deadline: March 2020 Manuscripts are submitted through the Special Issue portal of the submission system and go through peer review as usual. Each article in the special issue is assigned a unique identifier and once the article is accepted will be published in a regular journal issue as soon as available. The unique identifier allows us to simultaneously add the article to the special issue on ScienceDirect which is gradually built up as individual articles are published online. We do provide Shared Link of the final published version to the corresponding authors with 50 days free access so that they can share it. Submission Instructions https://ees.elsevier.com/vr/<https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fees.elsev…> Authors to select “VSI: Calibrating vision” as article type when submitting their special issue paper in EES. Guide for Authors for more details <https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.elsev…>https://www.elsevier.com/journals/vision-research/0042-6989/guide-for-autho…<https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.elsev…>https://www.elsevier.com/journals/vision-research/0042-6989/guide-for-autho…

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Postdoctoral fellow in AI, and real time signal processing for Brain Computer Interface clinical application at CEA, Grenoble and Paris-Saclay, France
by Tetiana AKSENOVA 218551 Nov. 14, 2019

Nov. 14, 2019

Postdoctoral fellow in AI, and real time signal processing for Brain Computer Interface clinical application The post-doctoral fellowship will be carried out within the frame of the multidisciplinary project "Brain Computer Interface" (BCI) at CEA-LETI-CLINATEC, Grenoble, France, in collaboration with the Data Intelligence Service from CEA-LIST (Paris-Saclay), France. The goal of the BCI project is the proof of concept that it is possible to control complex effectors thanks to brain activity decoding. Motor BCI raises the hope that limb mobility may be restored for severely motor-impaired patients to regain autonomy, providing them with control over orthosis or prostheses. The project is based on the recording of neuronal activity at the level of cerebral motor cortex (ElectroCorticoGrams, ECoG) with innovative wireless WIMAGINE® implant dedicated to the long term clinical use. A clinical research protocol « BCI and Tetraplegia » at CLINATEC® includes several tetraplegic subjects and is in progress. In this general frame, the project of partners CEA-LETI-CLINATEC and CEA-LIST "Enabling out-of-laboratory neuroprosthetics for severely motor-impaired patients using artificial intelligence", is supported by Programme Transversal de Compétences « Simulation Numérique » of CEA. The particular objective of the project is moving toward neuroprosthetics out-of-the-lab applications. This goal entails solving major challenges: increase number of Degrees of Freedom (DoF), improving accuracy and robustness of neural signal decoding to ensure usability of neuroprosthetics for real life tasks from one side, and providing a BCI system for constrained execution environments offered by portable devices from another side. One direction to improve decoding performances is to use recent advances in artificial neural networks. To ensure that the decoding algorithm is compatible with constrained environments, including the restrained CPU and memory costs such that real-time signal processing and decoding remains feasible, various strategies could be investigated. Missions of post-doctoral fellow will include: The experiment design and set up for real life tasks of using of neuroprosthesis by tetraplegic subject; Design of innovative ANN decoding algorithms, the test and the comparison to conventional methods; Optimization and implementation for real time application, integration to the Clinatec BCI platform; A unique clinical trial ECoG database supports the project. Initial contract duration is 12 months with possible prolongation (24 months at max), initial 12 months in CEA / DRT / LETI / CLINATEC, Grenoble and the next ones in CEA / DRT / List / DM2I / SID / LI3A, Saclay. Profile of candidate: PhD or equivalent with strong knowledge in Machine learning, Deep learning, real time Signal processing (high dimensional data flow), with strong skills in Python, matlab. Application: The candidates should send a CV, the names of 2 referees, and a cover letter to Dr. Tetiana AKSENOVA, tetiana.aksenova(a)cea.fr<mailto:tetiana.aksenova@cea.fr>, Dr. Cedric GOUY-PAILLER, cedric.gouy-pailler(a)cea.fr, and Dr. Pierre BLANCHART, pierre.blanchart(a)cea.fr. The selected candidates will be interviewed for an expected start in March 2019.

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Call for Paper: [Computers]: Special Issue "Simulation, Imaging and Modelling for Biomedical Systems" (Scopus, ESCI, 50% discount, Deadline Approaching)
by Blink Yu Nov. 14, 2019

Nov. 14, 2019

[Apologies if you receive multiple copies of this message] ==================================== Special Issue "Simulation, Imaging and Modelling for Biomedical Systems" Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 December 2019 Guest Editor: Dr. Elena Casiraghi and Dr. Barbara Barricelli Department of Computer Science; Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy Website: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/computers/special_issues/SIM_BS ===================================== Dear Colleagues, Over the past decades, a continuous increase in computational power, together with substantial advances in the digital image processing and pattern recognition fields, has motivated the development of computer-aided diagnostic (CAD) systems, augmented and virtual reality applications for surgical planning and simulation, and digital-twin applications for healthcare. Thanks to their effective, precise, and repeatable results, validated CAD systems are nowadays exploited as a valid aid during diagnostic procedures. Surgical simulation applications have become an essential part of surgical procedures as well as training, while research on the development of digital-twin applications in healthcare is continuously increasing, to deliver significant societal and health benefits. Similar important advances in the field of microscopy image analysis have been motivated by the advent of digital microscopes producing high-resolution digital images. Indeed, in the past thirty years the development of computerized systems that have helped pathologists in their analysis of images obtained by fluorescence, histochemical, and immunohistochemical labeling has become a main research focus for computer scientists and clinicians. State-of-the-art automatic microscopy image analysis systems automatically identify biological structures of interest and then try to reproduce the evaluation and quantification performed by expert pathologists and clinicians. These tools are much appreciated in the field for their potential to minimize the inherent subjectivity of manual analysis and to largely reduce the workload of clinicians via high-throughput analysis. This Special Issue intends to provide a comprehensive overview of recent, theoretical, and/or practical advances and new trends in biomedical/microscopy image enhancement and analysis, vision modelling, and general physiological models applied to biomedical/microscopy image processing and advanced visualization methods and devices, and to discuss their applications in the biological and medical fields. Keywords: BioMedical/microscopy image enhancement Biomedical/microscopy image quality assessment Biomedical/microscopy image analysis Computational approaches for citology and histology Computer-aided diagnosis Neuro imaging BioMedical/microscopy image databases Machine learning and artificial intelligence Image segmentation, registration, and fusion Interventional imaging systems Image-guided interventions and surgery Surgical and interventional simulation systems Interventional tracking and navigation Surgical planning and simulation Surgical visualization and mixed, augmented and virtual reality Digital twins and end-user development in biomedicine Interventional software and user interfaces Physiological models Dr. Elena Casiraghi Dr. Barbara Barricelli Guest Editors -- Mr. Blink Yu Managing Editor E-Mail: blink.yu(a)mdpi.com Skype: live:c91693ac8277e1f0 -- MDPI Wuhan Office No.6 Jingan Road, 430064 Wuhan, China MDPI Postfach, CH-4020 Basel, Switzerland http://www.mdpi.com -- Disclaimer: MDPI recognizes the importance of data privacy and protection. We treat personal data in line with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and with what the community expects of us. The information contained in this message is confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this message in error, please notify me and delete this message from your system. You may not copy this message in its entirety or in part, or disclose its contents to anyone.

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University of Sussex 4-year PhD Programme in Neuroscience
by Miguel Maravall Nov. 13, 2019

Nov. 13, 2019

Dear colleagues, We are inviting applications for our PhD Programme in Neuroscience at the University of Sussex, for entry in September 2020. Could you please kindly distribute to interested students - we are very interested in applications from students with quantitative (physical sciences/computing/math) backgrounds. Thank you Best wishes Miguel Maravall University of Sussex 4-year PhD Programme in Neuroscience Sussex Neuroscience is now inviting applications for September 2020 entry to our funded PhD Programme, which includes a first year of laboratory rotations and taught modules. These support a transition into neuroscience from other science disciplines such as physics and computing, and provide students with the opportunity to both broaden and deepen their experience of different neuroscience fields and techniques. More than 40 supervisors are offering research projects in topics including molecular & cellular biology, neurophysiology, learning, behavioural and cognitive neuroscience, psychology, development, sensory systems, computational neuroscience, functional imaging, neurodegeneration and translational neuroscience (the interface between fundamental and clinical neuroscience). Application Deadline: January 6th 2020 The beautiful Sussex campus, located just outside Brighton, is home to one of the largest neuroscience research communities in the UK, with strong interdisciplinary interactions between the biological and computational sciences. Our PhD Programme attracts some of the brightest students internationally. Home/EU fees are waived and a stipend is provided. We also welcome applications from non-EU students; we may be able to contribute top-up funds to exceptional international students who secure partial external funding. All students on the Programme can access financial support to attend conferences and additional training opportunities in the UK and overseas throughout their PhD. For further information and application instructions, please visit: www.sussex.ac.uk/sussexneuroscience/study/4yearphd<http://www.sussex.ac.uk/sussexneuroscience/study/4yearphd>

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PhD opportunity: Computational approaches to multisensory processing (UK-based)
by Thomas Otto Nov. 13, 2019

Nov. 13, 2019

Dear colleagues, Thank you for forwarding this advertisement for a 4-year PhD position at the University of St Andrews, Scotland, to UK-based students with interests in computational approaches to multisensory processing. More details can be found with the link below. Kind regards, Tom https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/eastbio-the-role-of-sequential-effect… -- Dr. Thomas Otto University of St Andrews School of Psychology and Neuroscience St Mary’s Quad, South Street, St Andrews, KY16 9JP, Scotland Phone: +44 (0)1334 462091 http://lclab.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/

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postdoc in computational cognitive neuroscience at TU Dresden
by Dimitrije Markovic Nov. 12, 2019

Nov. 12, 2019

Dear colleagues, please find bellow a brief description of an open postdoc position for someone into computational cognitive neuroscience. Application deadline is November 29. Best wishes, Dimitrije Markovic -- The Department of Psychology at the TU Dresden (PI: Stefan Kiebel) is looking for a postdoc. The position is for 3,5 years. The candidate will be working on computational models in cognitive control and decision making. Detailed information about the position can be found at: https://tinyurl.com/whabxhv The position in the group of Stefan Kiebel<https://tu-dresden.de/mn/psychologie/ifap/ni?set_language=de> is associated with the DFG-funded CRC 940 'volition and cognitive control' (https://tu-dresden.de/bereichsuebergreifendes/sfb940) and TRR 265 'Losing and Regaining Control over Drug Intake: From Trajectories to Mechanisms to Interventions' (https://sfb-trr265.charite.de/en/) In the CRC 940 projects we're developing models of meta-control, while in the TRR 265 project we're focusing on models of balancing habitual and goal-directed control. The candidate will work as a member of a team of both modellers and experimenters (fMRI and EEG). ============================= Dr. Dimitrije Markovic Post-Doc at Technische Universität Dresden, Department of Psychology, Dresden, Germany Lab website: https://tu-dresden.de/mn/psychologie/ifap/ni Phone: +49-351-463-43146 Personal website: http://dimarkov.github.io/ =============================

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PhD/postdoc vacancy: EEG and audio processing for neuro-steered hearing aids
by Tom Francart Nov. 12, 2019

Nov. 12, 2019

Dear colleagues, Thank you for forwarding this advertisement for two positions at the University of Leuven, Belgium, to any interested party. We have a *PhD and Post-doc position*on a joint project between the research group ExpORL, Dept. Neurosciences (Tom Francart) and the research group ESAT-STADIUS, Dept. Electrical Engineering (Alexander Bertrand). The long-term goal of this project is to design smart hearing devices that can be controlled by the brain. Topic: EEG and audio processing for neuro-steered hearing aids: ·adaptive signal processing and/or machine learning methods to perform auditory attention decoding, and use these in EEG experiments ·a brain-computer interface set-up for real-time (closed loop) attention decoding with EEG and perform experiments on subjects Candidates need a *degree in engineering, computer science,* physics, or similar, and good machine learning, signal processing and programming skills. Excellent English proficiency is required as well as a strong interest in auditory perception and willingness to work in an interdisciplinary team. Knowledge of human neurophysiology and psychology of hearing is a strong plus. More details and the link to apply can be found through the following links: PhD position: https://www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jobsite/jobs/55358404 Postdoc position: https://www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jobsite/jobs/55358406 With kind regards, Tom Francart Alexander Bertrand -- Prof. Dr. Tom Francart KU Leuven Department of Neurosciences, ExpORL Herestraat 49 bus 721, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium Tel: +32 16 37 98 40

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CFP SAB 2020: FROM ANIMALS TO ANIMATS 16th International Conference on the Simulation of Adaptive Behavior - Cergy-Pontoise, France, 22-24 Sep 2020 -- deadline: 1st Apr 2020
by alexandre pitti Nov. 12, 2019

Nov. 12, 2019

Call for papers for the 16th International Conference on the Simulation of Adaptive Behavior (SAB2020) SAB 2020 : FROM ANIMALS TO ANIMATS 16 that will be held at Cergy-Pontoise University (near Paris), France 22-24 september 2020 + workshops day 21st https://sab2020.sciencesconf.org/ *Scope of the Conference* ========================= The objective of this interdisciplinary conference is to bring together researchers in computer science, artificial intelligence, artificial life, control, robotics, neurosciences, ethology, evolutionary biology and related fields in order to further our understanding of the behaviors and underlying mechanisms that allow natural and artificial animals to adapt and survive in uncertain environments. The conference will focus on experiments with well-defined models including robot models, computer simulation models and mathematical models designed to help characterize and compare various organizational principles or architectures underlying adaptive behavior in real animals and in synthetic agents, the animats. *Location* ========== Cergy-Pontoise University, close to Paris, France *Relevant Research Areas* ========================= SAB2020 solicits contributions dealing with any aspect of adaptive behavior in natural and artificial systems. Typical, but not exclusive, topics of interest are: The animat approach Motor control Body and brain co-evolution Self-assembling and self-replication Sensory-motor coordination Action selection and behavioral sequencing Navigation and mapping Internal models and representation Evolution, development and learning Collective and social behavior Applied adaptive behavior Motivation and emotion Communication and language Emergent structures and behaviors Neural correlates of behavior Evolutionary and co-evolutionary approaches Bio-inspired and hybrid robotics Autonomous robotics Humanoid robotics Cognitive and developmental robotics Software agents and virtual creatures Philosophical and psychological issues Animats in education *Conference Format* =================== Following the tradition of SAB conferences, the conference will be single track with additional poster sessions. There will also be a day of tutorials. *Important Dates* ================= The conference will be held between 22-24 Sep 2020 and the 21st of September will be dedicated to workshops and tutorials Submission deadline : 1st of April, 2020 Notification of Acceptance : 1st of May, 2020 Camera ready: 1st of June, 2020 workshops/tutorials: 21st of September, 2020 Venue: 22nd-24th of September, 2020 Workshop/Tutorial Proposal Deadline: 21st May, 2020 Workshop/Tutorial Notification of Acceptance: 31th May, 2020 *Paper Submission Instruction and Publication Details* ====================================================== Submitted papers must not exceed 12 pages. Detailed submission instructions are available from the conference website (https://sab2020.sciencesconf.org/) Special Issue to Springer Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence All accepted papers with oral or poster presentation will be published in Springer Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence series conference proceedings. Selected authors may additionally be invited to submit extended versions for a conference Special Issue of the Journal of Adaptive Behavior. *Workshops & tutorials* ======================= The SAB2020 organizing committee invites proposals for workshops and tutorials, which will be held on the 21st of September, 2020. Instructions for preparing the tutorial proposal and further details on the tutorials will be found at http://www.sab2020.sciencesconf.org *Best Paper Award* ================== Two best paper prizes will be awarded at the end of the conference to honour the authors of papers of exceptional merit. For more information please refer to the official SAB2020 website. *Further Information* ===================== Up-to-date information will be published on the website https://sab2020.sciencesconf.org/ . For information about local arrangements, registration forms, etc., please refer to the website or contact the local organizers at the address below. * Organizers * ============== ETIS laboratory, CNRS UMR 8051, Université de Cergy-Pontoise, ISAB Philippe Gaussier General Chair, UCP Sofiane Boucenna Program Chair, UCP Nicolas Cuperlier Program Chair, UCP Alexandre Pitti Local Chair and Publicity Chair, UCP TBA *Conference Address* ==================== Laboratoire ETIS, Département Informatique Université de Cergy-Pontoise, Site Saint-Martin 2 avenue Adolphe Chauvin, 95302 Cergy-Pontoise, France *Contact * ========== [ mailto:sab2020@sciencesconf.org | sab2020(a)sciencesconf.org ]

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Call for graduate students
by Joshua Hartshorne Nov. 11, 2019

Nov. 11, 2019

The laboratories of Joshua Hartshorne and Stefano Anzellotti at Boston College are accepting applications for co-advised graduate students starting in Fall 2019, for collaborative projects focusing on computational modeling of fMRI and other neural data. We are particularly interested in finding a student to work on understanding individual variation in functional connectivity. Applications could be to the neural processing of language, social perception, or other high-level cognitive problems. The application deadline is December 15th. If you have any questions you can contact us at stefano.anzellotti[at]bc.edu. To apply, visit https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/schools/mcas/graduate/admission/apply-now.html

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[meetings] [LM2020] Living Machines 2020 - First call for papers
by Vicky Vouloutsi Nov. 11, 2019

Nov. 11, 2019

Dear colleagues, Please find below the first call for papers, satellite events, and sponsors for the 9th International Conference on Biomimetic and Biohybrid Systems of Living Machines, 28th-31st of July 2020. Apologies for cross-posting but please share this announcement with your colleagues. Looking forward to seeing you in Freiburg, Germany! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *First Call for Papers, Satellite Events and Sponsors* *Living Machines. The 9th International Conference on Biomimetic and Biohybrid Systems* * 28 – 31 July 2020* To be hosted at the Botanical Garden of Freiburg and the Cluster of Excellence livMatS at the University of Freiburg, Germany Accepted papers will be published in *Springer Lecturer Notes in Artificial Intelligence* *Submission deadline: March 23, 2020* http://livingmachinesconference.eu/2020 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *ABOUT LIVING MACHINES 2020* The development of future real-world technologies will depend strongly on our understanding and harnessing of the principles underlying living systems and the flow of communication signals between living and artificial systems. *Biomimetics* is the development of novel technologies through the distillation of principles from the study of biological systems. The investigation of biomimetic systems can serve two complementary goals. First, a suitably designed and configured biomimetic artefact can be used to test theories about the natural system of interest. Second, biomimetic technologies can provide useful, elegant and efficient solutions to unsolved challenges in science and engineering. *Biohybrid* systems are formed by combining at least one biological component—an existing living system—and at least one artificial, newly-engineered component. By passing information in one or both directions, such a system forms a new hybrid bio-artificial entity. The theme of the conference also encompasses biomimetic methods for manufacture, repair, and recycling inspired by natural processes such as reproduction, digestion, morphogenesis, and metamorphosis. The following are some examples of “Living Machines” as featured at past conferences: * Biomimetic robots and their component technologies (sensors, actuators, processors) that can intelligently interact with their environments. * Biomimetic computers—neuromimetic emulations of the physiological basis for intelligent behavior. * Active biomimetic materials and structures that self-organize and self-repair or show other bio-inspired functions. * Nature-inspired designs and manufacturing processes. * Biohybrid brain-machine interfaces and neural implants. * Artificial organs and body-parts including sensory organ-chip hybrids and intelligent prostheses. * Organism-level biohybrids such as robot-animal or robot-human systems. *ACTIVITIES* The main conference will take the form of a *three-day single-track oral* and *poster presentation program*, *28th July to 31st July 2020*, and will be hosted at the Botanical Garden of Freiburg by the University of Freiburg, Germany, and the Cluster of Excellence “Living, Adaptive and Energy-autonomous Materials Systems (livMatS)” (www.livmats.uni-freiburg.de<http://www.livmats.uni-freiburg.de>). The conference program will include *five plenary lectures* from leading international researchers in biomimetic and biohybrid systems, and the demonstrations of state-of-the-art living machine technologies. The full conference will be preceded by up to two days of *Satellite Events* hosted at the University of Freiburg. *SUBMITTING TO LIVING MACHINES 2020* We invite both *full papers* and *extended abstracts* in areas related to the conference themes. All contributions will be refereed and accepted papers will appear in the Living Machines Proceedings, published in the *Springer-Verlag Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence*. Full papers (minimum 8 pages, up to 12 pages) are invited from researchers at any stage in their career and should present significant findings and advances in biomimetic or biohybrid research. More preliminary work is better suited for short paper submission (maximum 4 pages, with a maximum of ten references and no more than three self-citations). Full papers will be accepted for either oral presentation (single track) or poster presentation with a short podium preview. Extended abstracts will be accepted for poster presentations only. Authors of the best full papers will be invited to submitted extended versions of their paper for publication in a special issue of the Taylor & Francis journal *Connection Science*. *SATELLITE EVENTS* Active researchers in biomimetic and biohybrid systems are invited to propose topics for full or half-day *tutorials*, *symposia* or *workshops* on related themes to be held on 28. July at the Institute for Biology II/III of the University of Freiburg (http://www.bio.uni-freiburg.de/index-en?set_language=en) Attendance at satellite events will attract a small fee intended to cover the costs of the meeting. There is flexibility about the content, organization, and budgeting for these events. Please contact us if you are interested in organizing a satellite event! *EXPECTED DEADLINES* March 23, 2020: Paper submission deadline May 15, 2020: Notification of acceptance May 25, 2020: Camera-ready copy July 28, 29-31, 2020 Workshops and Conference *SPONSORSHIP* Organizations wishing to sponsor the conference in any way and gain the corresponding benefits by promoting themselves and their products through conference publications, conference events, and conference publicity are encouraged to contact the organizers to discuss the terms of sponsorship and necessary arrangements. We also offer a number of attractive options for potential sponsors. *VENUE* Consistent with the Living Machines’ tradition of choosing historical venues at the crossroads between life and human sciences, this year the conference will take place at the Botanical Garden of Freiburg. Freiburg is considered the gateway to the Black Forest and thanks to its geographical location is blessed with mild weather all year round. The city is over 900 years old and known to be the sunniest city(1,740 hours of sunshine/year) in Germany. Freiburg has a beautiful historical inner city and is home to one of the oldest universities and Botanical Gardens in Germany. The Botanical Garden Freiburg will be celebrating its 400 year anniversary in 2020 and is located in the district Herdern near the Botanical Institute of the University of Freiburg. The Botanical Garden invites visitors to enjoy its wonderful greenery and learn about both plants from all around the world and plant-based biomimetics with its biomimetic educational trail. The trail highlights biomimetic inventions based on plants while providing fascinating insights into underlying biological principles. *CONFERENCE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE* *Thomas Speck* University of Freiburg, Germany (Local Chair) *Paul Verschure* IBEC, BIST, ICREA, CSN Foundation (Co-Chair) *Tony Prescott* University of Sheffield, CSN Foundation (Steering Committee) *Anna Mura* IBEC, BIST Barcelona, CSN Foundation (General Organization) *PROGRAM CHAIR* *Vicky Vouloutsi* IBEC, BIST, Barcelona *COMMUNICATION* *Sonja Seidel* University of Freiburg, Germany *Yulia Sandamirskaya* INI, Zurich Univ. and ETH *WORKSHOPS CHAIR* *Falk Esser* University of Freiburg, Germany *LOCAL ORGANIZERS COMMITTEE* *Thomas Speck* University of Freiburg, Germany *Falk Esser* University of Freiburg, Germany *Sonja Seidel* University of Freiburg, Germany -- Vicky Vouloutsi, PhD Postdoc Researcher at the laboratory for Synthetic Perceptive, Emotive and Cognitive Systems (SPECS<http://specs-lab.com/>) mail: vvouloutsi(a)ibecbarcelona.eu<mailto:vvouloutsi@ibecbarcelona.eu> linkedin<https://www.linkedin.com/in/vicky-vouloutsi-28496133/> researchgate<https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Vasiliki_Vouloutsi> tel: +34 934011913 Aquest correu electrònic conté informació confidencial emparada pel secret professional. Qualsevol reproducció, distribució o divulgació del seu contingut estan estrictament prohibides. Si vostè no és el destinatari, li preguem no faci difusió ni copiï el seu contingut i ens ho notifiqui el més aviat possible a l'adreça dataprotection(a)ibecbarcelona.eu Este correo electrónico contiene información confidencial amparada por el secreto profesional. Cualquier reproducción, distribución o divulgación de su contenido están estrictamente prohibidas. Si usted no es el destinatario, le rogamos no difunda ni copie su contenido y nos lo notifique de inmediato a la dirección dataprotection(a)ibecbarcelona.eu This electronic transmission contains confidential information covered by professional secrecy. Any reproduction, distribution or disclosure of its contents is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, you are kindly requested not to disseminate nor to copy this transmission and to notify us as soon as possible by email to dataprotection(a)ibecbarcelona.eu .

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Call for Papers for Journal of Neuroscience Methods Special Issue: Multiscale Modelling and Analysis in Neuroscience
by Wong-Lin, Kongfatt Nov. 11, 2019

Nov. 11, 2019

I am co-editing a Special Issue on Multiscale Modelling and Analysis in Neuroscience in the Journal of Neuroscience Methods. The Special Issue is focused on state-of-the-art: (i) computational modelling techniques; (ii) theoretical, mathematical or numerical methods; (iii) analysis of data; (iv) curation of data; or (v) combinations of the above. For more information, please see: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-neuroscience-methods/call-for-… There is an open call for papers for this Special Issue. Both original research and insightful reviews are welcomed. Please contact me or any of the other co-editors if you are interested or have queries. The deadline for submissions is 30th April, 2020. Manuscripts will undergo the normal peer review process as soon as they are submitted. Best, KongFatt Wong-Lin -------------------------- E-mail: k.wong-lin(a)ulster.ac.uk https://www.ulster.ac.uk/staff/k-wong-lin This email and any attachments are confidential and intended solely for the use of the addressee and may contain information which is covered by legal, professional or other privilege. If you have received this email in error please notify the system manager at postmaster(a)ulster.ac.uk and delete this email immediately. Any views or opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Ulster University. The University's computer systems may be monitored and communications carried out on them may be recorded to secure the effective operation of the system and for other lawful purposes. Ulster University does not guarantee that this email or any attachments are free from viruses or 100% secure. Unless expressly stated in the body of a separate attachment, the text of email is not intended to form a binding contract. Correspondence to and from the University may be subject to requests for disclosure by 3rd parties under relevant legislation. The Ulster University was founded by Royal Charter in 1984 and is registered with company number RC000726 and VAT registered number GB672390524.The primary contact address for Ulster University in Northern Ireland is Cromore Road, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry BT52 1SA

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Computational Neuroscience Research Scientist Faculty Position in Toronto - Krembil Research Institute
by Frances Skinner Nov. 9, 2019

Nov. 9, 2019

Hello all, Please consider applying for the following position. Position: *Computational Neuroscience Research Scientist* Site: Krembil Research Institute/Toronto Western Hospital Department: Research Reports to: Institute Director Status: Permanent Full-time https://www.recruitingsite.com/csbsites/uhncareers/JobDescription.asp?SiteI… The ideal candidate will have a PhD in a relevant field, research expertise and experience in mathematical and computational modeling, and research interests that complement those of the Institute in neurobiology and neurodegeneration. Candidates whose research interests encompass cellular, micro/macro circuits and/or large scale brain models, and who have collaborative experimental experience are especially encouraged. The successful candidate will have the ability to establish an independent, well-funded program and will be eligible for appointment at the appropriate level within the University of Toronto. Qualified applicants are invited to submit their online application (letter of interest, research plan, curriculum vitae), in PDF format as well as complete some initial screening questions. The search committee will begin to review applications in January with a potential start date in Spring/Summer 2020. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. -- Frances Skinner, PhD Krembil Research Institute/UHN and Univ Toronto www.skinnerlab.org

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NeuroFedora: ready to use/install ISO for computational neuroscience available
by Ankur Sinha Nov. 8, 2019

Nov. 8, 2019

Hello, The NeuroFedora community is pleased to announce its first deliverable: a ready to use/install Fedora based ISO image that includes a plethora of computational neuroscience software[1]. It currently includes: auryn, bionetgen, calcium-calculator, COPASI, qalculate, getdp, genesis-simulator, gnuplot, moose, nest, neuron, neurord, octave, paraview, python3, brian2, ipython, nest, neuron, libNeuroML, neo, nineml, PyLEMS, smoldyn and the Python science stack: matplotlib, jupyter notebook, numpy, pandas, pillow, scikit-image, scikit-learn, scipy, statsmodels, and sympy. The ISO image is a "live" image and can be used without installing the operating system. It can be obtained here[1] with more information on NeuroFedora available here[2,3]. NeuroFedora is a Free/Open Source Software community based volunteer initiative. We are always looking for more volunteers to help with the work[4]. It is an excellent project for students new to computational neuroscience to learn valuable technical skills while aiding the neuroscience community. Feedback is always welcome. Please get in touch using one of our communication channels[5]. [1] https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/neurofedora/install-media/ [2] https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/neurofedora/ [3] https://neuroblog.fedoraproject.org [4] https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/neurofedora/contributing/ [5] https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/neurofedora/communicating/ On behalf of the NeuroFedora community, -- Thanks, Regards, Ankur Sinha (He / Him / His) | https://ankursinha.in PhD candidate in computational neuroscience at UH Biocomputation | http://biocomputation.herts.ac.uk/ Free/Open source community volunteer at the Fedora project | https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/User:Ankursinha Time zone: Europe/London

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PhD in computational neuroscience, University of Edinburgh
by Matthias Hennig Nov. 6, 2019

Nov. 6, 2019

We invite applications for our fully funded PhD programme in COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE and NEUROINFORMATICS at the School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh, for a start in or around September 2020. The studentships are ideal for students who want to apply their computational and analytical skills to problems in neuroscience and related fields. The following supervisors have openings: Douglas Armstrong: Molecular neuroinformatics, network models, behavioural models, molecular drug design. Angus Chadwick (joining early 2020): Visual and spatial processing, network dynamics, neural data analysis. Matthias Hennig: Learning and homeostasis, analysis of large-scale electrophysiological recordings. Arno Onken: Probabilistic models, dimensionality reduction, information theory. Peggy Seriès: Bayesian approaches to cognition and perception, computational psychiatry. Ian Simpson: Regulatory genomics, developmental disorders. Barbara Webb: Perceptual systems for the control of behaviour, robot models of animals. The PhD project can be done in collaboration with one of the many affiliated departments and institutes. Edinburgh has been voted as 'best place to live in Britain', and has many exciting cultural and student activities. Students with a strong background in either computer science, mathematics, physics or engineering are particularly welcome to apply. Motivated students with other backgrounds will also be considered. For more information, see: http://web.inf.ed.ac.uk/anc/research/neuroscience There is no fixed deadline, but applications completed by 29 Nov 2019 will be considered in a first round, with decisions expected by late January 2020. -- The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with registration number SC005336.

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Competition funded PhD position on computational sensorimotor control @ U of Birmingham and U of Warwick
by Sang-Hoon Yeo Nov. 6, 2019

Nov. 6, 2019

Title: The integration of visually-guided interception with balance Supervisors: Dr R Reynolds (Bham), Dr Sang-Hoon Yeo (Bham) and Prof James Tresilian (Warwick) Type: Competition Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only) Project Description Control of fast interceptive movements is the highlight of human sensorimotor behaviour, whose flexibility and adaptability far surpasses that of any existing robot. The neural control mechanism of interceptive movement remains elusive. For example, when an object that we are reaching for moves unexpectedly, the hand is ‘magnetically’ drawn towards the new object location. These trajectory adjustments occur within a remarkably short latency (<100ms), do not require conscious awareness of the change, and may rely upon sub-cortical neural circuitry[1]. We have demonstrated that this exceptionally fast visuomotor system also controls the lower limb when attempting to step onto a moving target [2]. However, when standing, such automatic adjustments may threaten balance, which is also largely controlled by sub-cortical brain circuitry. For example, reaching for a moving object (e.g. catching a ball), causes a concomitant shift of the centre of mass which disturbs the balance, but we rarely fall. The apparently contradictory requirements of reaching and balancing must therefore be somehow seamlessly integrated at a low neural level. Staying upright in the face of such self-imposed perturbations is natural for humans, but we still do not understand the underlying mechanism(s). For example, attempts to implement such control into bipedal robots often leads to catastrophic falls (see DARPA challenge https://bit.ly/1Il2QVS) This failure to coordinate interception and balance can also lead to human falls as a result of neural degeneration (e.g. ageing). We plan to investigate the integration of these two systems, balance and interception, at both a behavioural and neural level, to address the following questions: How are balance and visually-guided interception integrated, and what are the limits of this process? What neural circuitry underlies this integration? How does normal ageing affect the integration process, and what are the consequences for fall risk? We will address these questions using a combination of techniques from Biomechanics, Neurophysiology and Robotics. To study the integration of balance and interception we will use virtual reality to present visual interception targets. This will allow us to subtly manipulate the relationship between hand and target motion [3]. Limb trajectory will be recorded using motion capture and processed in real-time to manipulate visual feedback. Balance will be simultaneously assessed by measuring ground reaction forces and full-body motion capture. The limits of the integration process (i.e. when do you fall?) will first be tested in young healthy individuals. To understand the neural circuitry we will use Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)[4], Electromyography and H-reflexes. These techniques will allow us to determine the relative contribution of cortical and sub-cortical brain areas to these behaviours. This, in turn, will also have relevance for understanding rehabilitation of balance following brain injury. Finally, we will study older adults. This will determine the extent to which the ability to combine interception and balance is compromised by the ageing process, and the relevance for fall risk. Funding Notes This project is funded by the Midlands Integrative Biosciences Partnership. MIBTP is a BBSRC funded Doctoral Training Partnership between the University of Warwick, the University of Birmingham, the University of Leicester and Aston University and Harper Adams University. Successful candidates will start in October 2020. Candidates can apply via the MIBTP website (Weblink coming here soon) but are strongly encouraged to contact Raymond Reynolds for further information prior to applying (r.f.reynolds(a)bham.ac.uk) References 1. B.L. Day, P. Brown, Evidence for subcortical involvement in the visual control of human reaching, Brain. 124 (2001) 2. R.F. Reynolds, B.L. Day, Rapid visuo-motor processes drive the leg regardless of balance constraints, Curr. Biol. 15 (2005). 3. S.H. Yeo, D.W. Franklin, D.M. Wolpert, When Optimal Feedback Control Is Not Enough: Feedforward Strategies Are Required for Optimal Control with Active Sensing, PLoS Comput. Biol. 12 (2016). 4. W. Marinovic, C.S. Reid, A.M. Plooy, S. Riek, J.R. Tresilian, Corticospinal excitability during preparation for an anticipatory action is modulated by the variability of visual information, J. Neurophysiol. 105 (2011).

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Call for PhD positions in Computational Neuroscience|Cognitive Science| Psychology|Neurophysics @ IMPRS NeuroCom
by Martin Bogdan Nov. 6, 2019

Nov. 6, 2019

***Call for applications The International Max Planck Research School on Neuroscience of Communication: Function, Structure, and Plasticity (IMPRS NeuroCom) offers several positions for excellent students holding a master's degree (or equivalent) to perform research resulting in a PhD in the field of Cognitive Neuroscience and Neurophysics. The IMPRS NeuroCom is based at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig and Leipzig University and also involves the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, and the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at the University College London, UK. ****Deadline for applications is 10 November 2019. Interviews will take place in January 2020. Starting date is flexible, but not later than autumn 2020. The IMPRS NeuroCom aims to recruit and educate motivated, independent, self-organized young scientists who wish to extend their knowledge and research experience in a structured 3-year PhD program, in order to pursue a successful career in cognitive neuroscience, clinical neuroscience, or neurophysics. The school is intended for students holding an excellent master's degree (or equivalent) in a wide spectrum of potential disciplines such as cognitive neuroscience, psychology, medicine, neurobiology, linguistics, computer science, engineering, mathematics, physics, biochemistry, or related fields. The university degree should be awarded by an internationally recognized university-level institution. Students near the completion of their master’s degree are also eligible to apply. Research experience in an area that is related to the graduate school’s scope is essential for successful candidates. Proficiency in oral and written English is mandatory. The IMPRS NeuroCom offers its doctoral students outstanding research opportunities in a very international and multidisciplinary environment with access to state-of-the-art cognitive and imaging neuroscience equipment, e.g. 7T MRI scanner, four 3T MRI scanners including a “connectome scanner” equipped with ultrastrong gradients (one of only three world-wide), a 306 channels MEG system, several TMS, TDCS, NIRS, and EEG systems. Applications will be evaluated by IMPRS NeuroCom faculty members. Interview selection is based on academic qualifications, personal references, research experience and interests, and suitability to the program. The Max Planck Society is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to increasing the number of individuals with disabilities in its workforce and therefore encourages applications from such qualified individuals. Payment is based on the guidelines of German public service pay scale (TVöD). For more information about our graduate school please visit: http://imprs-neurocom.mpg.de/home/ Please see http://imprs-neurocom.mpg.de/home/applications for details and use http://imprs-neurocom.mpg.de/home/applications/how-to-apply/registration-fo… for your application. For further information please contact Dr Veronika Krieghoff: vkrieghoff(a)cbs.mpg.de -- ************************************************************************** Prof. Dr. Martin Bogdan Institut für Informatik Technische Informatik Universität Leipzig Augustusplatz 10 D-04109 Leipzig Germany ************************************************************************** Denken Sie selbst, sonst tuen es Maschinen für Sie! 'Nihil est ab omni parte beatum' (Horaz) El problema de la humanidad es que los estúpidos están seguros de todo y los inteligentes están llenos de dudas **************************************************************************

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Research Fellow in Computational Neuroscience, University of Warwick, UK
by Timofeeva, Yulia Nov. 6, 2019

Nov. 6, 2019

Research Fellow in Computational Neuroscience Department of Computer Science, University of Warwick, UK Fixed Term Contract for 3 years from 1 January 2020. The appointee will work on a project funded by the MRC that aims to develop and implement a mechanistic modelling framework for studying regulation of synaptic transmitter release in health and disease. This project will be led by Dr Yulia Timofeeva with the co-applicant Prof Kirill Volynski (UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London) and in close collaboration with a number of world-leading experimental laboratories working in the field of synaptic transmission and information processing in the brain, that are located in Europe, USA, Canada and Japan. The successful candidate should have a PhD, or equivalent, in applied mathematics/theoretical physics/computer science or a related discipline and should have excellent skills in scientific computing. Previous experience of research in computational biology or neuroscience is desirable. The working environment will be in the Mathematical Science Building, in the Zeeman Institute for Systems Biology & Infectious Disease Epidemiology Research (SBIDER, https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fac/zeeman_institute/) For further details see https://www.dcs.warwick.ac.uk/~yulia/job_102287_109.html https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/dcs/jobs/ Deadline for applications: 21 November 2019 -- __________________________________________ Dr Yulia Timofeeva Associate Professor Department of Computer Science and Centre for Complexity Science Warwick, UK Honorary Associate Professor UCL, Institute of Neurology London, UK Tel: 024 765 73786 http://www.dcs.warwick.ac.uk/~yulia/ __________________________________________

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